Grade: 8 Unit: 6 Week:3 Content: ELA Dates: 4/22-4/26/2013
Theme Essential Question: How can literature help us define the greater good?
Essential Questions:
When are risks worth taking for the greater good?
What are some effective techniques authors use to engage the reader?
What are some effective techniques I can use to write a narrative?
How do I determine the relevant placement of information in a narrative?
Standards (Focus)
W.8.3 Text Types and Purposes: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
W.8.3a Text Types and Purposes: Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.
W.8.3b Text Types and Purposes: Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
W.8.3c Text Types and Purposes: Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence, signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another, and show the relationships among experiences and events.
W.8.3d Text Types and Purposes: Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.
W.8.3e Text Types and Purposes: Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events.
(Ongoing)
RL.8.1 Key Ideas and Details: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.8.2 Key Ideas and Details: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.
RL.8.3 Key Ideas and Details: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
RL.8.5 Craft and Structure: Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.
RL.8.7 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors.
RL.8.9 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new.
RL.8.10 Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
SL.8.1aComprehension and Collaboration: Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
SL.8.1bComprehension and Collaboration: Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.
SL.8.1cComprehension and Collaboration: Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others’ questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas.
SL.8.1d Comprehension and Collaboration: Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views in light of the evidence presented.
SL.8.3 Comprehension and Collaboration: Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant evidence is introduced.
SL.8.5 Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas: Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.
Objectives:
TLW read and discuss a variety of novels that reveal, explicitly or implicitly, “the greater good.”
TLW participate in pair and/or group discussions.
TLW compare and contrast characters, plots, themes, settings, and literary techniques used in the stories read.
TLW analyze how particular lines of dialogue in literature propel the action and reveal aspects of a character.
TLW write a variety of responses to literature and informational text.
TLW write a narrative.
TLW establish a context and point of view through the introduction of a narrator and/or characters.
TLW organize event sequences which unfold naturally and logically.
TLW identify shifts from one setting to another and show the relationships among experiences and events.
Assessment Product
Response to test anxiety question
Review of journal entries written from another characters view point
Advertisement promoting or discouraging surgery to enhance intelligence
Summarization chart from daily reading
Guided questions
Key Questions
What is “greater good”? What is its importance in the novel? How important is its role?
What characteristics do strong characters demonstrate/exhibit?
Can high ability individuals learn from persons of low ability? How is identity determined or created? What makes up someone’s identity?
What is Charlie’s relationship with and attitude toward his coworkers and his doctors?
Is Charlie optimistic about people liking him?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a first-person narrator?
What can you infer regarding the format in which the novel, short story, and screenplay are written?
How do comments made by other characters further reveal a character’s trait?
Observable Student Behaviors
Observe and listen to pair and/or group work/discussion
Listen to oral responses
Student reaction to characters, dialogue, and resulting actions
Student writing/creating - answering question, journal entries, and advertisement
Vocabulary ELA explicit hero/heroine implicit satire strength of character symbolism writing style assess intelligence motive role appropriate specialization absurd impair refute
Sample 6-12 Workshop Model Bell Ringer/Warm-up Activities 3 minutes Whole Class Presentation/Lesson 15 minutes Small Group Learning-Reading and/or Writing Activities (Author Study/Lit Circles) 12 minutes Independent Learning-Reading and/or Writing Activities (SSR/Computer Time/Centers) 12 minutes Exit Slips/Closing (What have I learned today/What do I need to know/What problems) 3 minutes
Suggested Activities [see Legend to highlight MCO and HYS]
Continue reading Flowers for Algernon. Tell students to keep the word compassion in mind as they read. Does the meaning of the word change as they read? Have students note examples of compassion as they read or identify where compassion might have made the journey different for Charlie. [HYS – GTH]
As you read, take notes about particular lines of dialogue or incidents that propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or “the greater good.” Be sure to note page numbers with relevant information so you can go back and cite the text during class discussion.
What is the setting of the novel?
Who are the major and minor characters?
What problems are faced by the character(s)? How does he/she overcome this challenge?
Which lines of dialogue or events were pivotal to the novel? Why?
What elements were changed between the novel and the video version?
What traditional, mythical, or Biblical references are made in the novel?
What elements of “the greater good” are revealed, implicitly or explicitly, in the novel?
An opportunity to share notes with a partner may be given prior to class discussion. [HYS – CQO]
Would you sacrifice yourself for the greater good of science or society like Charlie? Write an advertisement that promotes or discourages a surgery that improves intelligence. This advertisement can be videoed, watched in class, and discussed. Find or create a rubric to evaluate the persuasiveness of the advertisement.
Team Challenge – “Team Algernon” or “Team Charlie” – create comprehension and vocabulary questions based upon the progress reports. This could be used as a competition throughout the novel.
Identify shifts in tone as Charlie gains intelligence, and subsequently loses it.
Highlight tone words that illustrate Charlie’s change in emotional behavior.
Use a graph to plot Charlie’s progress from the beginning of the story to the end.
Summarize the progress reports by using graphic organizers or paragraphs.
Is it difficult for you to take a test? Do you get test anxiety? Can you overcome test anxiety? Explain how.
Charlie tells us what he experiences and how he feels in his journal entries. Select another character and write five journal entries from his/her view point on what he/she sees Charlie experience and how he/she feels about it.
Identify what an illusion is and how it might be used to gain better understanding of subtle nuances, gain background knowledge, and make comparisons.
What is irony? Is there irony in this novel? Give an example.
Describe a time when someone made fun of you or a friend. How did it make you/him/her feel about the one teasing and yourself? What was learned from the experience? Have you ever teased /made fun of someone else? How did that make you feel? How does respect for others, kindness, and compassion fit in these situations?
Participate in large and small group discussions, then report to the class.
Analyze characters and situations to better understand the novel. If possible, make connections to other characters and/or other pieces of literature.
Homework Read for 30 minutes each evening from a self-selected book and complete a reading log.
Thinking Through Genre (Lattimer)-Reading Handbook Grades 6-8 (Red)
Literary Texts
8th grade Literature textbook
Informational Texts
Art, Music, and Media
Diego Velazquez, Juan de Pareja (1650)
Manipulatives
Games
Videos
SMART Board Lessons
W.8.3 Sensory Description
This interactive lesson instructs students in the art of adding sensory details to their descriptive writing. Definitions and examples are provided, as well as an interactive example
W.8.3 Figuratively Speaking
Use a variety of images to craft sentences using figurative language
W.8.3 Creative Writing Fundamentals
Use a range of techniques and different ways of organizing and structuring material to convey ideas, themes and characters.
W.8.3 Writing
This lesson teaches the traits of memoir. Lesson is used in conjunction with Sandra Cisneros' memoir book, House on Mango Street.
W.8.3b Writing for Impact
Use a range of techniques and different ways of organizing and structuring material to convey ideas, themes and characters.
W.8.3b Creative Writing Fundamentals
Use a range of techniques and different ways of organizing and structuring material to convey ideas, themes and characters.
W.8.3d Sensory Description
This interactive lesson instructs students in the art of adding sensory details to their descriptive writing. Definitions and examples are provided, as well as an interactive example.
W.8.3d Figuratively Speaking
Use a variety of images to craft sentences using figurative language
W.8.3d Writing for Impact
Use a range of techniques and different ways of organizing and structuring material to convey ideas, themes and characters.
W.8.3e The Writing Process
Multi-day unit covering the five steps, with added review games as well as links to short videos
W.8.3e Audience Analysis
Take account of how well the reader knows the topic.
Theme Essential Question: How can literature help us define the greater good?
Essential Questions:
Standards (Focus)
(Ongoing)
Objectives:
Assessment
Product
Key Questions
Observable Student Behaviors
Vocabulary
ELA
explicit
hero/heroine
implicit
satire
strength of character
symbolism
writing style
assess intelligence
motive
role
appropriate
specialization
absurd
impair
refute
Sample 6-12 Workshop Model
Bell Ringer/Warm-up Activities 3 minutes
Whole Class Presentation/Lesson 15 minutes
Small Group Learning-Reading and/or Writing Activities (Author Study/Lit Circles)
12 minutes
Independent Learning-Reading and/or Writing Activities (SSR/Computer Time/Centers) 12 minutes
Exit Slips/Closing (What have I learned today/What do I need to know/What problems) 3 minutes
Suggested Activities [see Legend to highlight MCO and HYS]
Homework
Read for 30 minutes each evening from a self-selected book and complete a reading log.
Terminology for Teachers
Lesson Plan in Word Format (Click Cancel if asked to Log In)
Resources
Professional Texts
Literary Texts
Informational Texts
Art, Music, and Media
Manipulatives
Games
Videos
SMART Board Lessons
- W.8.3 Sensory Description
This interactive lesson instructs students in the art of adding sensory details to their descriptive writing. Definitions and examples are provided, as well as an interactive example- W.8.3 Figuratively Speaking
Use a variety of images to craft sentences using figurative language- W.8.3 Creative Writing Fundamentals
Use a range of techniques and different ways of organizing and structuring material to convey ideas, themes and characters.- W.8.3 Writing
This lesson teaches the traits of memoir. Lesson is used in conjunction with Sandra Cisneros' memoir book, House on Mango Street.- W.8.3b Writing for Impact
Use a range of techniques and different ways of organizing and structuring material to convey ideas, themes and characters.- W.8.3b Creative Writing Fundamentals
Use a range of techniques and different ways of organizing and structuring material to convey ideas, themes and characters.- W.8.3d Sensory Description
This interactive lesson instructs students in the art of adding sensory details to their descriptive writing. Definitions and examples are provided, as well as an interactive example.- W.8.3d Figuratively Speaking
Use a variety of images to craft sentences using figurative language- W.8.3d Writing for Impact
Use a range of techniques and different ways of organizing and structuring material to convey ideas, themes and characters.- W.8.3e The Writing Process
Multi-day unit covering the five steps, with added review games as well as links to short videos- W.8.3e Audience Analysis
Take account of how well the reader knows the topic.Other Activities, etc.
Language
Arts
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Matrix
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Home K-2
Home 3-6
Home 6-8
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
Unit 5
Unit 6